I don’t think a Sufi can escape life; its more like Tao where we go with what is and do not resist it. Its about life on God’s terms vs. resisting by wishing life was different. The more we get to know the Beloved, the more we know about life. Life is not necessarily about the earthly body; its the journey of the soul confined in a body. The Quran often advises us to contemplate on the universe to know God. For example:

Truly, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of the night and the day. There are indeed Signs for men of understanding, Men who remember (celebrate) the Praises of Allah, standing, sitting and lying down on their sides and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heaven and the earth, (with the prayer): “Our Lord! Not for nothing have You created (all) this! Glory to You! Give us relief from the Penalty of the Fire. (Quran 3:190-191)

Huuuuu!

The Prophet said, “An hour’s worth of contemplation is better than a year’s worth of worship.”

Dalai Lama’s words really got me. This isn’t about you or me. Its about every citizen of this planet. I include in that all the species who we share the universe with. I include birds, rainforests, whales, panda bears…and on an on it goes. Quran tells us every type of creature is a community of believers.

“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”

-Native American proverb-

There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth,

nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you.

2 Alhamdulillah! All praise is Hers! The Cherisher and Sustainer of all the worlds above and below, without and within.

3 The One Source of Compassion and Mercy, of Help, of Love and Forgiveness!

4 The One Who Will Call us back home to Her in the afterlife,

5 The Only True Judge of our good and bad deeds,
Who Will Forgive many sins and Who Will show us for the sake of Her Compassion

how we failed to be compassionate ourselves.

6 She alone we worship and She alone do we go to for help, like a child who seeks guidance from a loving parent.

7 O Allah, guide us to a path of righteousness, the path of those who seek Your Blessings, Sheltered beneath Your Love’s Wings.
Not the path of those who walk away from You and are in need of Your Correction.